The Solo Journals
by morgancrow
Summary: Revan (AKA Brenna Skye Solo) must adjust to the new political realities of the Republic, or die trying.
1. Confrontations

The Solo Journals

By Ariella (AKA Penny Horwitz. All characters, settings etc belong respectively to Bioware and Lucasfilms. I'm not making any money off of this at all, really.

Part One: Confrontations

Location: The Ebon Hawk, in hyperspace transit from the Star Forge System to Coruscant

Time: 2300 hours Republic Standard Time

Brenna Solo curled up in the co-pilot's seat, knees drawn to her chest. She could feel the Cross of Glory as it hung on her tunic, but her thoughts were far away from the tumultuous past several months, and the actions that had turned her from villain and conquer to savior and hero. She didn't want to think of the foreseeable future either, where she was going to be paraded around the Republic like some trained monkey doing tricks. She let herself dwell on selfish thoughts for a moment, like taking the Hawk and running off somewhere where they'd never seen or heard of Revan. The one memory she couldn't hide from was her last 'conversation' with Malak. The words seem to echo even now:

"Savior, conqueror, hero, villain. You are all these things, Revan… and yet you are nothing. In the end you belong to neither the light nor the darkness. You will forever stand alone."

It was at that moment one of the two people who could put lie to Malak's poison walked onto the bridge. It was less that she could see him than she felt him the moment he passed through the hatch. The awareness wasn't new, but it'd become brighter since after her encounter with Bastila in the temple. Brenna wasn't exactly sure where it had come from, but it had given her strength to reject Bastila and Malak. Carth had been as good as his promise; he'd protected her in a way he probably would never fully understand… She laughed at the last thought, and ran a hand through her black hair. Maybe Revan had been prone to deep philosophical thought at one point, but Brenna didn't think there were enough numbers in the universe to count the ways she was different from her former self. Managing a smile, she looked up at the man she loved. A man she might loose if the Council had its way.

"Hey, beautiful," he said softly.

"Hey, flyboy." She replied, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt.

"You realize you've got your Jedi bunkmates worried about you," he said as he sat down on the control panel at her side. "Both Bastila and Juhani were on the verge of coming up here and using some mind tricks to knock you out. They seem to think you're going to burn yourself out before we even reach Coruscant. Mission warned me, and I managed to talk them out of it." A concerned look crossed his face, "unless there's something they know that I don't."

"No, Carth. No visions, no bad dreams, just… I'm not comfortable being the so called 'savior of the Republic'. Hell, it's my fault that this blasted war started… If I hadn't been so arrogant…"

He moved to kneel in front of her, bringing their eyes level. "Stop it, Brenna. We both know you're not Revan… Not anymore. You have nothing to prove to anyone."

"Except myself," she murmured.

"You don't have to do this alone… Look, you know I'm not the best at self examination, but if you need to talk, I'm here."

"You think I could convince you to take this ship to Manaan instead?" Brenna said suddenly, "I'm sure I can find a skimpy enough suit to make it worth your while."

He gave her that half smile that was so endearing, "Sorry, sweetheart. I wish I could take you up on that, but I'd rather not get the Senate and the Jedi Council angry at me for kidnapping their war hero."

Her face fell, "I guess so. I'm just so tired of duty and responsibility, Carth. I did my penance. I ended the war I started, kept one Jedi from falling to the Dark Side, and brought another back from the same fate. And it's amazing that I did it, considering I don't even know who I am anymore. And I'm afraid that the Council is going to try and remake me in their image, and I don't want that…especially since it would mean losing you." Brenna hid her face again, not wanting to see Carth's reaction.

"What do you mean?" His voice went deadly soft, but she knew he wasn't angry with her.

"You've heard what Bastila said when we talked about her family. The Jedi aren't big on outside attachments, plus there's the Code," Brenna began to quote, eye closed; her voice painful:

"There is no emotion… There is peace.

There is no ignorance… There is knowledge.

There is no passion… There is serenity.

There is no chaos… There is harmony.

There is no death… There is the Force."

She opened her eyes again and looked into his, remembering the first time she had truly looked into those depths. The moment struck her as funny, and she smiled for the first time since the Star Forge.

"I guess until I face them, I'll have to be content with the moments I can steal." The smile turned into an impish grin as she said, "Remember that first night I was conscious on Taris?"

She could see he still wanted to talk, but accepted the change of subject. "I remember you being infuriating, if that's what you mean?"

"Nah, this was before I even got a chance to be infuriating, darlin'," she pushed herself to her feet, and then pulled him up, never breaking eye contact. "It was completely and totally inappropriate for the time, of course, but I'd been tempted to invite you to join me… Just for the value of shocking such a paragon of the Republic as yourself, of course."

Carth eyes widened, and started to laugh, "Of course… Though you may want to be careful, sweetheart, I might just take you up on that… or would if we had the privacy." He slipped his arms around her, "There'll be time for that, I promise. I love you so much. I'm not letting you go without a fight."

Burying her head against his chest, Brenna drew all the strength she could from his presence, "I love you too, Carth, now and always."

Location: VIP Quarters, the Senate, Coruscant.

Time: 1422 hours, RST

Brenna and her party disembarked the Hawk to maddening fan fair. She did her best to look happy, but all she could do was clutch Carth's hand tighter against the waves of nausea that hit her. She didn't want this, nor did she deserve it, but as Admiral Dodonna had observed, the crowds needed their hero. She'd survived and was now in one of the best VIP suites the Senate could provide. It was surprising how the Republic government was falling all over itself to make her happy, or maybe not so surprising because she knew what was going to happen next, and not from any vision of the future. There was method to this madness, for the Republic was even weaker now than it had been at the end of the Mandalorian Wars, and they were expecting her to be the one to hold this house of Pazaak cards together, until things got better. So they were going out of their way to be nice and solicitous. Of course when the confrontation with the Council came, all of her new 'friends' in the government would disappear into the woodwork.

She sank into a comfortable chair and sighed. At least her friends seemed willing to stay at least for a while. Even Canderous was willing to hang around, which made Brenna wonder if there was more to his declaration that he was "her man". She hadn't really been thinking all that straight at the time, but now she looked at it, it looked like he'd given her what amounted to a fealty oath, which was just going to add further to the myth that was springing up around her. Between a Wookie with a life-debt, a Mandalorian liegeman, a former Sith assassin droid… No she didn't even want to think about it.

It was then that she felt the first prickling of the Force and put on a resigned smile as she willed the door open. Bastila, dressed in the simple brown robes of a Padawan, stepped through.

"Hello, Bastila… Let me guess," she put her fingers to her temples in an exaggerated pose of mind reading, "the High Council would like to see me as soon as I'm settled."

"Very funny, Brenna, and yes the Council does wish an audience with you, that's not why I'm here." The young Jedi looked distinctly uncomfortable. "I'm worried about you."

Brenna decided to drop the sarcasm and be honest, "I know. We may have learned to shield each other out, but things still leak through… It's just… I don't want to be used anymore. I'm tired, I'm worn, and I'm just starting to understand who I am, and suddenly I find myself responsible for helping shore up the entire Republic." She sent a mock glare at her sister Jedi, "and don't give me the 'to whom much is given, much is expected speech'. I know the score, and I know supposedly I'm the only one who can do it…" And then it hit her, she had a bargaining chip!

Bastila caught the shift in her emotions as well and looked alarmed, "Brenna, what are you thinking?"

Brenna pushed herself up, suddenly feeling completely revitalized, "Oh, not much. Just came up with a way to do my duty and get what I want… and all I need to do is blackmail the Jedi Council," she replied with a mischievous grin.

"You're going to….? Are you mad?"

The grin became even brighter as she headed for the door, and threw over her shoulder, "Maybe, but if I am, it's the Council's fault entirely. If they'd have given me a more law abiding identity than a smuggler, I may not have even come up with this… Are you coming?"

Bastila followed her out, muttering, "I have a bad feeling about this…"

Location: In Transit: The Jedi High Temple

Time: 1506 Hours RST

It hadn't taken long for Brenna to find an air speeder and head toward the temple with Bastila in tow. She looked over at her fellow Jedi as she punched the engines, and it seemed poor Bastila was torn between being disapproving and amused.

"What?" she finally asked as they were on final approach to the Temple.

Bastila sighed, "I think you're a bad influence on me, Brenna, I should be trying to talk you out of this mad endeavor, but instead I find myself hoping it all works out."

"Well, look at it this way, Bastila. If everything is the Will of the Force, then the fact I have a close bond with not only you but Carth should mean something to the Masters," Brenna said casually as she deftly avoided traffic. Bastila hadn't been there when Carth's premonition about the choice she'd need to make came to pass, and she doubted her sister Jedi had had the presence of mind to sense the slight spark of the Force that resided within Carth Onasi with everything else that was going on.

"I… I didn't realize he had potential," she said finally.

"It's all right, Bastila, you had other things on your mind, but it explains a bit about him, doesn't it? There's enough potential there to be mistaken for 'luck', but not enough that the Jedi would have taken him for training as a child, though I'm surprised they missed his son; the Sith sure didn't." Brenna noted as she shot a pointed glance at Bastila, who winced slightly.

Brenna eased the speeder into a parking spot not far from the temple, and gently gripped Bastila's shoulder.

"That wasn't a dig at you, old friend. I'm sorry for being so thoughtless, but I think you know what I meant."

She nodded, some of the tension easing out of her, "Of course, if Dustil was strong enough that the Sith Academy accepted him, he had to be strong indeed. And I even understand your point that the Force tends to breed true in families, but my understanding isn't what you require…"

"If the Council doesn't get it, then they can dispense with my services as well," Brenna said coolly, "and don't give me that look, Bastila. It doesn't mean I'm going to waste my potential, but I just won't do it with the Jedi. Maybe I'll go to Telos and help with the rebuilding, or maybe back to Kashyyk, who knows? But I won't let myself be manipulated by the Council anymore. They re-wrote who I was once… that's all they get."

Location: The Jedi High Temple

Time: 1542 Hours RST

Upon arrival Brenna and Bastila were escorted to a comfortable waiting area by an apprentice who wasn't old enough to remember Revan's defeat of the Mandalorans. He eyed Brenna suspiciously, as he offered refreshments, which they politely refused.

"I'm not sure what's worse," Brenna sighed as the boy left with near indecent haste, "the hero worship or the suspicious looks, like I'm going to turn back to the Dark Side at any moment."

"It'll take some time I suppose, like all things. You just need to be patient."

"You're right, Bastila, but I hope others are just as patient…"

Her words were cut off by another apprentice who told them that Master Vandar wished to speak to Jedi Revan alone.

Brenna glared at the apprentice and said, "Don't call me that. Either Brenna Solo or Jedi Solo, but I'm not Revan. Not anymore… And Force willing, never again!"

The apprentice quailed a bit, but recovered enough to lead Brenna out into the temple gardens. Master Vandar, sat alone, eyes closed in the center of the garden. Brenna waited as respectfully as she could while he finished his meditation. After what seemed hours, he opened those large, all too seeing eyes and looked up at her.

"You are troubled, Jedi Solo?"

She sat down next to him and shook her head, "Troubled, Master Vandar? I think that's an understatement. The Council on Dantoonie did their work way to well." She adjusted the neck of her tunic, which suddenly felt as if it were choking her. "You can dress me up in these robes, and tell everyone I'm a Jedi, but I'm not. I'm not even sure if I can be a Jedi."

"I have spoken at some length with Master Bindo, and he has been an eloquent advocate for your situation."

"You talked to Jolee? Jolee's a Master now?"

"I asked him not to speak to you on the matter until I could see for myself, and I must concur with his conclusions. Revan would never have so blithely admitted to faults and frustrations as you have done. This fact alone makes you stronger, and proves you are truly Jedi."

"How's that possible, considering the only serenity I find is with my friends?"

"And your affection for them kept you strong in the face of the Dark Side." Vandar nodded. "Your emotions do you credit, young Jedi, and prove Master Bindo correct. Love is not the danger we say it is. Your love of your friends protected you from the terrible taint of the Star Forge. That love brought Bastila back from the depths of darkness, and saved the galaxy. And now you fear the Council will force you to severe all ties with those who kept you strong." He stood and looked deeply into her blue eyes and smiled slightly. "We are not that cruel, Jedi Solo."

Brenna realized she'd been holding her breath, and let it out in a rush. She managed to restrain herself from either hugging the old Jedi Master or dancing about that gardens, and settled for a wry smile, "Well at least I won't have to blackmail the Council… But I'm going to find Jolee and smack him in the knee with my lightsaber hilt! Thank you, Master Vandar, Thank you!"

Quickly bowing to the Master, she nearly skipped out of the gardens, grabbing Bastila by the arm and dragging her out.

"I take it things went well?" Bastila asked warily, completely surprised by Brenna's mercurial mood switch.

"Better than all right, and now we have to do something even more important!"

And what, pray tell, would that be?"

"I need to find something besides these Jedi robes to wear!"


	2. Assassinations

Part Two: Assassinations

Location: Carth Onasi's Quarters, VIP Wing

He felt dirty. The shower had helped some, but not as much as he'd hoped. He didn't need to be a Jedi to figure out where all the innuendo that had been laid down at the debriefing was going. Was Revan really gone? Did Brenna show any signs of even possibly being power hungry? Not that they came out and said anything. Nobody was going to overtly insult the Savior of the Republic and the most powerful Jedi to date. But at the same time, all the higher ups who'd been at the debriefing seemed to be angling for something like leverage to use against her.

Carth stepped out of the bathroom, clad only in a towel, scratching his neck, wondering if he'd managed a good enough Pazaak face to fool the politicians. His off-duty life was his own, and Brenna sure as hell wasn't the enemy…

"Oh my… Maybe I shoulda buzzed first?"

The words pulled Carth out of his reverie, and he found himself staring at Brenna, who was now dressed in sleek, tight-fitting, black trousers and a blue silk tunic that hugged her curves, with only of the lightsaber at her belt to belie her civilian dress . She was also flushing an interesting shade of red, and seemed to be having trouble breathing. Her reaction did wonders for his own dark mood.

He crossed his arms over his bare chest, stood a little straighter as if to preen, and asked, "Something you looking for, beautiful, or just browsing?"

"Ah…well… I…that is…"

_Payback!_ He thought with a grin. There'd been far too many times over the past months she'd had him off balance for him not to take advantage, but both the grin and the thought softened as he studied her. "I like the new outfit, but I have to ask what was so important you had to slice the door lock rather than wait?"

"Oh! The Jedi… They… I can stay!" And with that inarticulate pronouncement, Brenna hurled herself at him, hugging him tight enough to cause him to gasp for breath.

She finally let go, and Carth looked down at her with a boyish grin, "And here I thought it was seeing me in a towel that made you so unusually inarticulate…"

Brenna flushed again, causing Carth to laugh. It felt good, just to hold her, no having to run to the rescue, no daring escapes to worry about. He reluctantly let go, ducking back into the bathroom to dress, so they wouldn't get… distracted.

"So," he called as he dressed, "are you going to tell me what you have in mind?"

"We're going to go out, stuff ourselves on food that's terrible for us, wander around Coruscant's shopping district, and if you're a really good boy…" Brenna let the words hang in the air, and he stepped out to see the brilliance of her smile.

"And what if I'm a bad boy?" Carth retorted as he slid an arm around her waist.

"Then it'll be even more fun."

Location: Coruscant

Time: 1945 Hours RST

"…So the damn thing stalls on me, and I'm falling towards the atmosphere like a meteor, Jax still on my six, the repair droid nearly frying itself to get the ship's engines back on line… Then I pulled out, jack knifed and was in perfect firing position to finish Jax off." Carth was smiling broadly as he illustrated the last point with an expansive hand. "My droid didn't talk to me for a month, and my instructors told me if I ever pulled a stunt like that again in a training session, the only unit I'd be flying for would be the reclamation and recycling squad. But I graduated the Academy at the top of my class."

Brenna clung to his left arm as they left the café, happily listening to Carth's Academy days. They were just two of the throng of people taking advantage of the warn evening to enjoy a walk. It felt… normal, like there'd been no Revan, no Star Forge, no saviors of the Republic. They were just regular people, doing the things regular people did when they're in love.

Carth must have realized it was unusual as well because he looked at her "So how are you doing it?"

"Doing what?" she replied, trying desperately for an innocent tone.

"First of all, I _just_ realized we weren't mobbed as soon as we stepped out onto street level. And whatever you may think, I'm usually a bit quicker on the uptake then that." He smiled at her "But I'll admit the company I'm keeping at the moment is rather distracting, so I'm figuring you aren't using the Force on _me_. Which brings me to my second question: what exactly _are_ you doing to keep us from being mobbed?"

Brenna rubbed her hands together and shot him a wicked smile, "As to the former, I see my evil plan is working!" She indulged in a bit of overdone maniacal laughter, and a few people who walked past looked at her for a second, blinked and then moved on. "The latter, I have to admit I am cheating a bit." Her smile softened as she continued, "it's no big deal, really. Most people don't expect to run into celebrities on the street, so I'm just… encouraging that a bit, though anyone who either knows I'm here or is specifically looking for me will cut through that…"

Before Carth could say anything, she caught an odd glint from a lower rooftop. Brenna reached for her lightsaber, though before she could bring it up to deflect the bolt, Carth rammed her to the ground. Brenna _felt _the blaster bolt hit Carth dead on, and instinct took over as grief and anger poured over her. Somehow she managed to rein herself back in, and grab Carth as he fell. The bolt had hit him in the side, where she sensed massive internal damage. Brenna also recognized the blast pattern of a Sith sniper rifle.

_Damn you, Carth,_ she thought, _Don't die on me!_ Brenna realized she couldn't risk using the Force to any great degree. She was far too angry to risk letting the Dark Side twist what she was trying to do. So she stretched out the smallest thread of the Force she could manage and began to pour into Carth the flame that was her life. Carth's breathing deepened, and his pulse calmed. Brenna could feel the terrible damage begin to repair itself, but he was still bleeding internally from blood vessels that had burst in the heat of the blast. On and on she pushed, giving of herself, praying to the Universe that help would arrive soon. Her vision began to gray, then blackness took her…

Location: Medical Center: Coruscant

Time: 1032 Hours RST

Bastila watched Brenna stir from the healing trance she'd been put in. It had taken several days for the newest of the Jedi Knights to recover her strength after doing the impossible… again. Brenna's anguish had touched every being in a ten-mile radius, Jedi or not, and yet she'd somehow managed to find the presence of mind not only to stop channelling the Force, but do something that had never been done in the annals of the Order. All living beings were connected to the Force, of course, but no one had ever managed to channel the living Force within them without channeling the Force in general, and it had nearly killed her in the process.

The padawan took another cleansing breath, one of several in the past few hours, and tried once again to swallow her anger. Brenna had become family in the months of searching for the Star Forge; annoying, uppity, sarcastic family, but family nonetheless. There had been days where it was hard to even remember who she truly had been, as there was no sign of the Dark Lord in Brenna's words or deeds.

Bastila exhaled as Brenna's eyes fluttered open, ready to be brutally honest, because if she couldn't be honest with family, then who could she be honest with.

"Would you care to explain this most recent piece of insanity on your part?" Bastila asked before Brenna could open her mouth.

"We were attacked… Carth took the shot for me…" She started looking around, sounding anxious. "Is he….?"

"He's fine. You managed to stabilize him until the medics were able to get him into a bacta tank, but why didn't you call for help?"

Brenna shrugged, looking uncomfortable, "I wasn't thinking clearly, I guess."

"'Wasn't thinking clearly?'" Bastila threw her hands up and began to address the ceiling. "Did you hear that? She wasn't thinking clearly!" The padawan sighed in exasperation, then looked at her friend. "If you can do such things when you're not thinking clearly… Brenna, you nearly killed yourself doing something no one ever thought possible."

Brenna looked ashamed, "I'm sorry, but I was too angry to call on the Force, I couldn't risk my anger twisting the healing."

"And yet you thought using your own life force was safer?"

"What I couldn't ask of the Force, I asked of myself," Brenna said with a seriousness that was all too rare.

Bastila smiled, "Now you're starting to sound like the Masters; we may make a Jedi of you yet."

The seriousness broke, and Brenna's customary sarcasm reasserted itself. "Oh no! Anything but that! Speaking of which, I need to talk to Carth."

"I expected as much, but I told him I wanted to yell at you first… You scared us all with that stunt."

"I am sorry, Bastila…"

"I know. I'll go get Carth, but don't say or do anything rash when you speak to him!" Bastila admonished before she left the room, not giving Brenna a chance to comment that she wasn't going to be rash when she took Carth apart and put him back together backwards. She'd been planning to be rather methodical about it.

The target of her ire stepped into the room moments later, looking concerned, but not the sheepishly contrite she'd been expecting. She knew he was smart enough to realize he'd done something galactically stupid, so she had to wonder what was going on behind those lovely eyes of his. He held up his hands in a gesture of conciliation before she could take a breath.

"There was another sniper, sweetheart. I caught his reflection in the one of the windows. They were expecting you to deflect the first blast, and then hit you in the back. I thought I could get us both out of the way, but I guess I'm not as young as I use to be."

Her anger at him melted away, "Thank you for saving me… again."

He smiled, "You're welcome… And it's mutual, you know."

"We need to stop nearly getting killed trying to save each other, you know?" she said, making a failed attempt to smile. Now that the anger was gone, she studied him with concern, "Should you even be out of bed?"

"You've got to love kolto. A day and a half in the tank, plus whatever you did to me, and I'm good as new." He studied her with concern in his eyes. "You, on the other hand, still look exhausted."

"I'll be fine. I just need to get out of here. We need to regroup, and we need a plan. And I think I have both…" She stood up, gesturing at the hospital gown, "So are you going to help me find my clothing, or do I walk out in this thing?"

"I think Bastila took possession of your clothing until," and he dropped into a fair imitation of Bastila, "'Brenna has the bloody sense not to go haring off half-cocked.'"

Brenna shook her head, walked to the doorway and caught Bastila's eye "Either I get clothing, or you get to explain to the Jedi Council why there's a Jedi roaming around in only a hospital gown."

End part 2


	3. The Best Laid Plans

Part Three: The Best Laid Plans

Additional Disclaimer: All characters, settings etc belong respectively to Bioware and Lucasfilms. I'm not making any money off of this at all, really. Mandalorian culture referenced in this work mostly comes from and is inspired by Athena Prime's wonderful piece: After the Fall. Thank you, Athena.

Location: The Ebon Hawk. Coruscant Space facility.

Brenna looked around the rec area of the Hawk. It was the first time all of them had been alone together since the Leviathan, and she wondered how she'd managed to become the commander of this little crew. Originally it'd been Bastila and Carth who were supposedly running the show, but now it felt like the ghost of Revan was hovering over her shoulder, though she wasn't sure if they were here because of that or in spite of it.

"I'm glad you're all here," she began, "and I'm sorry we couldn't meet somewhere more comfortable, but right now I think a little paranoia is a good thing and I pretty certain about our ability to secure the Hawk, so… You all know by now about the attempt on my life, so I don't think I need to belabor that point. I do, however, need your help… All of you."

She shook her head, "That said I have no authority what-so-ever to tell any of you what to do. This isn't about saving the Republic from the Sith or any other great quest or cause. This is simply trying to catch someone who wants to kill me… Well, maybe not simply, but you get the idea."

"Well, don't we know who it is?" Mission asked from her seat near the holoprojector. "I mean, the Sith kill you and get cookies, right?"

Brenna shrugged uncomfortably, "Yah, but… This just doesn't feel like a Sith attack. If they were going to come after me for er… cookies, it would have been Dark Jedi with lightsabers, not snipers on rooftops, and especially not as clumsy as it was," she mused, "I'm surprised they didn't take advantage while I was healing Carth." Brenna felt Carth squeeze her hand to ward against the vision that realization conjured.

_How can he know me this well?_ She asked herself. _Then again, he's known me since I was 'born' so…_

Mission winced, "I see your point…"

"Yah, I kinda wish it was the Sith. It'd make my life easier if it were, because they'd probably let me officially go after the bastards." She looked around the room and sighed. "That's right boys and girls, officially I've been told by both the government and the Council to keep out of it, and officially, I've agreed. Unofficially, however, I've told both revered groups where they can stow it."

Carth picked up where Brenna left off, "Which means we're running without anyone's sanction this time."

"How different was that from what we just did?" Canderous asked from his corner. The Mandalorian was leisurely cleaning his carbine as he looked up. "It's not as if we had any real Republic backing then either." He flashed a cold smile at Carth. "No offense, Onasi. I meant in weapons, material, and government backing."

Carth's voice was cold as he replied. "Of course you were, but as much as I hate to agree with you on anything, Canderous, you're right, damn it."

Ordo snorted, "So the question is, what next? These attacks aren't going to stop." He put the weapon aside, and looked directly at Brenna. "You know that, don't you, Brenna."

Slumping back in a chair she sighed. "Whoever wants me dead has committed himself, and he's going to learn from his mistakes."

Canderous nodded and gave her a half smile. "Now you're thinking like the Jedi Revan."

She mocked glared at him, and commented tartly, "Let's hope I don't start I don't start thinking like Dark Lord Revan any time soon, Canderous, but you're right again." She looked pleadingly at Carth. "Is he allowed to be right more than once?"

"I think it's against the rules, but as fun as this is, we still have the problem of what to do with you, Bren."

"Considering I'm a danger to myself and others, you mean?" Looking around the room at the faces there her eyes lighted on Jolee who'd been quiet through the entire conversation. "You're thinking something, old man, out with it."

"You either need to get lost or get found, lass," he mused with a slight twinkle "or both."

Brenna goggled at him for a moment, and then a slow smile spread across her face. "You sly old… Damn, have I told you how much I adore you, Jolee?"

Bindo returned the smile with a sly one of his own. "I don't rob cradles, girl, so save your energy for the fly boy," he replied lightly, jerking his thumb at Carth who proceeded to have the grace to blush as Brenna grinned.

"Okay, here's what we'll do. You're not going to be thrilled about this, Mission, but…"


End file.
